


Love Lies Bleeding (Amaranthus)

by Alkie



Series: Intempestus [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Dissociation, Gen, Goodbye lord, Hallucinations, Harassment, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-25
Updated: 2017-08-25
Packaged: 2018-12-19 17:47:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11902959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alkie/pseuds/Alkie
Summary: Humming behind the bar counter with Futaba besides him as the famous detective idol shares some snippet of his tragic past, Akira can't help it but notice the bruise on the side of the brunette's mouth albeit concealed with a concealer but there's still discoloration on the said spot. The raven-haired kept his lips sealed.





	Love Lies Bleeding (Amaranthus)

**Author's Note:**

> I've been working on this for sometime now, supposedly it'll be a long one-shot but guess what? I'm dying due to my crippling and waning motivation so It'll be freaking a part of a series. I suck at naming. excuse me
> 
> Look at the tags before reading because I'm a shit and yeah *points at that certain fic I wrote months ago*

Humming behind the bar counter with Futaba besides him as the famous detective idol shares some snippet of his tragic past, Akira can't help it but notice the bruise on the side of the brunette's mouth albeit concealed with a concealer but there's still discoloration on the said spot. The raven-haired kept his lips sealed.

Yet no one stops him to take note.

"I would never have thought that you'd be boarding at this cafe... We seem to share some kind of bond." The young detective said. Akira hums thoughtfully and with a nod, he replies: "I agree." the young trickster heard the other chuckle before saying "Thank you." After the simple exchange, the bespectacled boy let his mind wander back to the concealed bruise. Staring at the slightly discolored spot a bit longer. Last time he checks it wasn't there before or did he missed it? This is the second time he repeats everything, replaying every event of the year 20xx. His intention is to try and comprehend the deceitful prince in front of them. Akira wants to understand the hidden vitriol and acrimony that the brunette detective hides underneath his fabricated mask even if that meant is to steal his heart. A part of his recalcitrant heart craves to destroy, to pull that permanent and deceiving mask and yet the rest of his own heart cower in trepidation, in fear of what may happen to the other while bearing his scarred heart for the world to see.

Akira regards that he'd seen the prince detective at the end of his wits. Behind the doors of the lock engine room. there's a certain fear that sits in the pit of his stomach, this particular timeline feels more foreboding. He wonders why? He hoped it won't deteriorate Akechi's mentality even further.

 

He acquired a habit where he would write everything down that he noticed on Akechi, he doesn't approach him unless the other wants to talk. Akira never failed to regard when the brunette walks in Leblanc looking lost and disoriented as he took a seat on the stool, in front the bar. Pupils are dilated or eyes and expression were devoid of any emotion. The Phantom Thief had a hunch as to why the detective would look like that when he stared at him, mind drifting somewhere far away before snapping out of reverie. Then again, Akira doesn't have any evidence to prove his presentiment. For all he could do is to observe the brunette inside Leblanc's warm ambiance. 

 

He had expected to see the brunette, that the rest of the group wants to get in touch with after the young detective stated that they are not the one who killed President Okumura. Akira knows who the culprit is but no one would probably believe him if he says he already beat this rigged game. He tried to wait for the shadow to get back to its original self and yet the palace begins to collapse, they have to leave if not, they'll be dead. He partially blames himself for falling into the trap again. Haru loses her father and well, the culprit stains his hands again

"Welcome home." the soft voice snapped him out of his thought 

"Honey, I'm hom—" he said automatically but cut himself off, the raven-haired look the detective then stare blankly.

_...He looks awful than the last time I saw him on TV._ The young Phantom Thief mentally notes while walking to the brunette, ignoring the flinch the brunette made when he cupped his chin and inspect the white medical eyepatch on his left eye and a new bruise at the corner of lips. The other teen's neck has bite marks on them. "Are you having an abusive relationship with your significant other?" blurts Akira without any thought nor tact, watching Akechi's complexion turns pallid while opening his mouth and say. "It's..." Akechi pauses, hesitating to reply something that he'll regret. "Nothing that matters to you, Kurusu." he continues with his voice sounded raw, the reply came out harsher. "By the way, I've been invited to the panel at Shujin Academy, of course you already know that info. I'll be accepting the offer. Well then." Akechi added casually as he subtly slaps his hand away before gathering his things and pay for his coffee. "Excuse me, I must go now, sorry for staying this late, Sakura-san, I'll see you again, good night," he said. Storming his way out of the cafe. The raven-haired stares blankly at the empty bar stool then to his hand. Trying to process what happens and briefly made a mental note that the detective sounded like a wounded animal. Sojiro sighs tiredly and opens his mouth to spew an advice. "You shouldn't stick your nose into someone's life, kid." The boy nodded his head before walking upstairs. 

"You know, the chief is right but..." begins Morgana as he stretches his body on the couch. "Akechi sounds like a wounded animal, whose back against the wall—ready to gnaw at anyone who would touch him," he said thoughtfully. "I maybe looking at it way too much." the cat added. The raven-haired stares at the cat. He takes out a notebook and writes everything he has noticed that isn't present in the other timelines. "...He's a bit fragile here..." he mumbles while encircling the words 'abusive relationship', 'lover', and 'bite mark'. An exasperated sigh escapes his lips. Akira closes the notebook, getting ready to bed.

 

The night after the panel, the raven-haired thief was going to close the cafe when...

"I... uh..." Slurred words from the detective while stumbling inside the cafe. Almost falling on the floor, luckily the raven-haired is standing in front and was able to catch him, right straight to Akira's arm who briefly mentally notes how thin the brunette is while subtly wrapping an arm around Akechi, supporting him back on his feet. "Sorry..." the prince detective mumbles as he tries to regain composure. "I'm a bit tired, can I still have some coffee...?" he asked, certainly ignoring the arm around his waist. His mind is too  _exhausted_  to notice it. The young trickster nods his head and wordlessly help the other to take a sit on the stool. Albeit reluctantly letting the older teen go, slipping his arm around those slim waist off to make some coffee. The coffee siphon still had enough for one serving. Pouring the coffee into the cup he had prepared, the raven-haired glanced at the brunette. Akechi had that faraway expression as though he's trapped in his mind, day-dreaming. Akira notes that there is still a few bruises that are concealed with foundation, this time. He also noticed that the other opted on wearing turtleneck shirt. Inwardly sighing, Akira pours a bit of cream into the coffee and serves it to the brunette with a gentle  _clink_. Dark gray eyes watching the person in front of him who snapped out of his reverie and shakily brought the cup to his parted lips, taking a sip and shudder in delight as the warm beverage made its way into his throat. The raven-haired keenly observes Akechi behind his glasses. 

"Just a hypothetical question..." Akechi begins whilst setting the cup down to the saucer. Half-lidded eyes look at the raven-haired, contemplating on whether he should ask or not. A mirthless smile slithered across his lips. "What would you do if I suddenly said... I like you, Would you reciprocate my feelings?" he shifts and adds. "It's only a hypothetical question, it had no meaning... I... I don't like you that way. Additionally, you already assume that I have  _a special someone_." the last line had a bite in them.  _That's a lie._  Akira thought as he mentally notes again. He already had a hunch that those bruises didn't come from a lover since no one should abuse their partner unless it's something— _don't go there_ , but yes. It's far from intimacy and more abusive. Yet he can't do anything about it, nothing if Akechi continues to lurk behind his mask and never solicit for someone's help.

"No, I won't like you..." He said in a tactless manner, removing his glasses as the brunette shrunk in his seat eyes dropped into the half-empty cup. The raven-haired leans forward, using his left hand to gently hold the brunette's chin and lifts his face to look at him. Steely eyes boring into the rosewood ones. "but don't be disheartened  _Goro_... Instead of liking you, why don't I love you." The debonair thief adds with a soft smile. Ardor laced his tone. A thought crosses his mind whilst watching the brunette.

Something cracks inside the brunette, he moved Akira's hand against his cheek. Finding comfort into the warm yet callous palm. "Too bad it's hypothetical..." he replies and places a soft kiss on the raven-haired's palm heel. Lips twisting into a melancholic smile.

"... Right." Akira mumbles as he leans further and set his lips against the older teen who presses back. 

A fleeting kiss won't break the brunette's heart, right? 

That's what the raven-haired thought unbeknownst to him that the lying prince's heart has completely shattered into pieces since the day they met.

 

They were supposed to meet the sleuth though he canceled it at the last minutes. The raven-haired stared blankly at the table in front of him as his friends talk about their next move. Akira's mind wanders back to the panel and the group meeting with the detective as he mentally made a note at how Akechi treats him, not that it was a problem. He did give the brunette that cold shoulder once. The detective barely spared him a glance or two and it is worth mentioning that the brunette won't talk to him when he visits Leblanc after that night which leaves him thinking that he approached him way faster than he initially plans.

"Nice, Akira you  _fucking_  mess up on courting him,  _wonderful_." He sarcastically said albeit thinking that he was not spewing his thought. Everyone snapped their heads to him. "What the heck, dude are you okay?" the blond vulgar boy asks. "That's so out of context, man," he adds as the raven-haired brought himself out of his train of thought, pushing his glasses up and says. "My love life sucks like your exam's scores, Ryuji. I'm sorry for that," he replies tactlessly making Ryuji winced "Ouch, man you're tactless when you're not having a good day. Like dude, chill." 

"Arsene is weak to ice, I can't chill." he quips not really holding his tongue back. Haru tilts her head, curiosity seeps through her eyes. "So, who is the lucky person that stole your heart, Akira-kun?" she asks. Makoto tenses, Ann's eyes become sharp as if all of her senses are on and made for this very day, well... Ann is his best friend next to Morgana and pretty much saw her with Shiho.  Futaba snickers behind them.  _What a shame, Futaba already knew who the person is, as expected from the Oracle._ Akira mused to himself and answers.

"Mona." with an eat shitting smile.

"What—?! Don't mess around! I only accept Lady Ann's affection!" Morgana hissed, ready to claw Akira's face. "Wow, you're into furry that's sick man!" loudly, Ryuji exclaims. Yusuke was too engrossed on drawing so he didn't pay much attention. As for the girls with the exception of Futaba, let out a sigh and shakes their heads in resignation at Akira's antics.

"Okay, let's get back on our topic." The brown-haired girl clears her throat before continuing. "We had no choice but to accept Akechi-kun's offer." The blond boy grumbles a cursed under his breath before saying "Damn that effin' bastard had us good. Are you seriously going to accept this?" he looks at raven-haired who slightly twitch at the word  _bastard_. Well, he has to endure it, this is Ryuji, after all. The leader heaves a sigh and was about to speak when Yusuke's phone abruptly rings, blatantly booming in the attic. The bluenette stops moving his pencil against the paper's surface while looking at his friends apologetically. 

"Excuse me, I need to answer this call..." he said and stands up to leave the room. Futaba hums watching where Yusuke disappeared. "In 3...2...1. He'll need to leave." and as if on cue, the bluenette strides back to the room and swiftly collect his things, "Pardon me, it's an emergency, I'll make it up to you tomorrow." he said as he goes downstairs, a troubled expression etched on his beautiful visage.

"...Man," Ryuji huffs, "He's been like that whenever he gets phone calls if I didn't know him, I'll assume he had a GF or something like that." Akira hummed, he does discern that the bluenette has been acting odd lately, something seems off. He guessed he's been excessively preoccupied with trying to understand Akechi that he entirely forgets his role as a confidant to the others. 

Can't really blame him, he wants to understand someone that no one ever considered to comprehend nor care. Although, something tells him that the brunette didn't consider nor asked someone to care and understand him. Heaving a sigh, and opens his mouth to say.

"Let's asks him sometimes, he looks worried every time he received these calls."

"Hmm... Though aren't we stepping into his personal space?" inquires Ann as she pushed her hair off of her shoulders. The raven-haired shrugged "We won't pry it out of him if he didn't want to say a single thing and he looks troubled so yeah." he replies and clears his throat. "And, Makoto's right, we don't have a choice but to accept Akechi's offer unless we want to go in a five-star jail suite."  

The blond boy huffs looking annoyed, "Aw man, we had to bear seeing those shitty smiles of his. Great." The raven-haired uses his fingers to untangle some strands of his hair, sighing through his nose "Bear it and grin, Ryuji." he said tiredly. Mind wandering off.

 

The bluenette heaves a sigh as he found the person he was looking for, leaning on the wall with a dazed expression, he was barely standing in all honesty. Similar to the first time he saw him stumbling out of a stranger's car, disoriented and dissociated. Yusuke strides towards him then grabbed him by the wrist, good thing the person was wearing a hood. They won't draw any attention. "I... I'm sorry to cause you trouble again, Kitagawa." meekly the person whispered. Letting the other to pull him, he barely felt the grip anyway. "If you don't want to cause me any botheration why don't you stop doing whatever you are doing,  _Akechi_." The bluenette replies while maneuvering their way to the train station, away from the crowds. Yusuke never heard a response from the detective. Away from his mind again. 

He set the other on the train seat after getting inside their ride, watching the brunette fall asleep into a deep slumber. Rethinking on how he got into this situation. Yusuke sighs as he stands in front of the other, he prefers standing whenever he was in this predicament. It was out of pity that he ends up in this mess. The brunette was a third-year senior student at Kosei Highschool since the detective engages to media appearances, in order not get their school's gate blocked by hormonal teenagers. Their principal opted into customizing a uniform just for the older teen to wear. That's what the Prince detective told him while the other was having a moment of being talkative in a sober way.

Closing his eyes, the bluenette reminisced on how this happens, the root of evil, he dares to name it. 

 

_It was a humid evening as gets back to his dorm, exhausted from Kaneshiro's Palace, they were still exploring it. The bluenette was about to enter the dorm when he saw a sleek black car stopped by their dorm and there he saw the famous "Ace Detective" Goro Akechi, stumbling out of the car, achingly similar to a drunk person. The way he sways as he walks wasn't normal, he looks like a waddling comedian than the said title._

_"How inelegant..." he said, wrinkling his nose in disdain. The bluenette was going to turn his back and go inside his dorm, there were thugs lurking around their dorm, the bluenette grabs the doorknob and was going to turn it—only to stop midway by a loud thud on the asphalt. Yusuke's eyes bulge out of their socket as he stares at the fallen detective before letting go of the doorknob and checks the other's state._

_"Are you okay?" he asks once he was a meter away from the brunette, watching him get on his knees and pushed himself up. Blank rosewood eyes turn his gaze towards the bluenette, briefly meeting the steel gray eyes before turning his head and ignoring the question. Standing up and limps away towards the apartment complex a few blocks away from the bluenette's dorm. Yusuke frowns, it seems that he stepped into something that he shouldn't have. He shrugged his stiff shoulders then walks back to his dorm's door, albeit looking back where the young detective disappeared._

_Their paths have crossed once again, this time at Shinjuku and the brunette was clearly cornered by delinquents. Snickering at him like they found his secret of some sort. The brunette looks unperturbed and kept his poker-faced. The ace detective opens his mouth and speaks loud enough for Yusuke to hear who was standing a few meter away._

_"...You do know that I can charge you with harassment if you continue this, right?" he said looking at the delinquent's leader. Hands clutching the handle of his attache case tightly. The said leader sneer, opening his mouth and speaks loudly. "Hah, don't make me laugh, my father is a high ranking official!" obnoxiously loud. "Bet your charges will be meaningless!" he spat as he leaned forward and the corner of Akechi lips twitches while blankly looking at the man in front of him._

_"You sure have a pretty face," the leader lifts his hand and lightly slapped the brunette's cheek. "no wonder people like to see you on TV. We can get on with that too." he said while it was followed by his lackey horrendous laugh in the background. The bluenette huffs readying himself to step in when the brunette takes a hold of the leader's wrist in a vice grip. He leans forward a few centimeters away from the man's face._

_"Touch me with your filthy hand again..." he spoke in a dangerously low tone, threatening. A smirk slithered across to his lips. "I'll amputate it." without any hesitation in them as though threatening people seems easy for him. The tall bluenette watch as the leader pulls his hands away, spewing something that his father is a ranking high official and he can indict the brunette for frightening him, repeating what he said earlier like a broken record and the brunette puts his right hands on his hips, still smirking at the group._

_"Haha, that father of yours can be imprisoned," he said "Abusing his power for his son's arrogance, his reputation will be ruined. Trust me." he puts his hand on the leader delinquent's shoulder, "I can bring him to the court." patting it before walking away as if nothing happens, walking passed to Yusuke. And that made the passionate artist baffled and intrigued by his sudden change of nature. Was that the real him? He asks himself while going to the art store to buy his supply._

_The third time he saw the brunette was at Inokashira Park in the middle of the night, the bluenette is making his way to his dorm from another tedious quest in Futaba's Palace when he spotted the detective, alone. Sitting on the ground, sprawled under the lamp post. The artist intended to pass him by but when his eyes see what state the brunette is in, his body moves on its own and kneels on one knee to inspect the brunette. The dubbed detective prince is now an example of debauchery, the top of his shirt was unbuttoned, revealing his bruised pale chest, neck filled with teeth marks and tiny bruises. Swollen right cheek and the corner of his lips have dried blood dribbling to his chin. Akechi smiles—tried to smile as he looks passed Yusuke, cocking his head to the side, slightly. "Mom, I'm sorry... I was born." He slurs with a glazed expression. Lifeless and dilated pupils staring into nothing. Yusuke gasps at the words, why would someone apologize for being born? He pondered whilst hesitantly shaking the brunette out of his reverie._

_"Hey, snap out of it," the bluenette said, eyes never leaving the detective's face who's slowly snapping out of his drunken stupor. "I'm going to call for help." Yusuke pulls out his phone and Akechi is finally out of his thought, struggling to put his gloved hand around the artist's wrist grasping it in a weak hold. "N-No... that would be unnecessary..." the brunette bites his lips as he adjusts himself, trying to plant his feet on the ground but it's barely a success. "Shit..." he cursed under his breath. The bluenette cocks his head to the side and stands up tucking his phone away, taking a hold of the detective's arm then pulled him up by his arm. "You live in that apartment a few blocks away from my dorm, correct?" he asks as he swings_ _the latter's arm over his shoulders. Akechi barely resisted the action, legs giving up under him. He had no other choice but to let the taller take him home._

_"Yes... I'm sorry for troubling you... The room is 060, second floor, keys are in my back pocket..." He said, eyelids dropping over his eyes. The deep slumber hugs him tight. The bluenette heaves a sigh, he was a fool, he already decided to leave the detective be and yet here he is, helping and taking the sleuth home out of pity. The two begun to move towards their destination, it'll be a certain and absurdly long night for them._

 

Out of pity. That's what he thought after offering his help from there onwards. The detective, at first was reluctant to accept it, stating that he'll be fine but when Yusuke brought up that certain event at Inokashira Park, the brunette throws the white flag and thus here he is, taking him home and probably change his clothes into something comfortable since he won't be waking up at any moment, slumber's too deep. Akechi is rather self-conscious about his outward appearance that he begins to wear turtleneck shirts to hide his neck that is marred with imperfections and oddly in his perception, those flaws makes him... 

_Beautiful..._ The bluenette shakes his thought away,  _that was an inappropriate and dangerous thought._  He mused. Yusuke heaves a sigh, looking at the sleeping prince. "When will I end this  _tryst_?" Tryst is a bold word albeit they never had any proper connection to each other. That would do, right?   
  


After his first meeting with the Phantom Thieves that has been held at Leblanc, of course, they have to agree to his suggestion and now he is a temporary member of the infamous gang. Akechi is certain that the Phantom Thieves cannot deny his offer, that is unless they are a bunch of foolish pieces of shit. He won't hesitate to reveal their pictures that he had taken to the police desk and Sae. Even if Kitagawa is helping him whenever he was in shambles, not that he care about being called a hypocrite. 

Nothing matters than his revenge for that man and it's nothing new to him anyways, insults and praises are welcome. Although he does regret a few bits of his own action, one of it is letting that despicable man taint him in various of disgusting ways, it's making him want to wash his own body in isopropyl alcohol to cleanse the residual germs that man left, then again, it's not like he had a choice, he'll have to endure it by any means of taking him to the depths of hell. Two, accepting Kitagawa's help, that was one of the most senseless things he'd done. The third is the boy named Akira Kurusu. He was the leader of the Phantom Thieves, at first glance he looks like a normal person but after speaking to him on several occasions and after that moment he shared with the younger teen, Akechi knows that he is the biggest mistake he'd done and one of the miscalculations that cannot be undone, from that point he becomes more afra— _cautious_  he corrected himself, to the raven-haired's attention. It's wise to put some distance from him, a good distance.  

The cocky leader of the Phantom Thieves, Joker— Akira Kurusu... The insufferable bastard, the only person who can see through his mask. The mask that he has meticulously constructed to hide his own heart. The brunette can't afford to make it shatter nor let anyone rip it off of his face... 

No one wants to build a completely broken heart for someone who's not wanted after all. The brunette didn't know why Akira made that bold action, did he seriously think that he is easy to get or rather, he genuinely likes him? That thought alone makes Akechi doubt it was the second opinion. Honestly, the utter thought of it makes him laugh in a tenebrific way. Akechi is sober that time yet still under the influenced of whatever that man's lackey injects through his veins, it was stupid of him to asks that but then the bespectacled boy takes the initiative and seal it with a damned kiss. He didn't hate it. And that abrades his nerves to no end. 

The detective hums, pulling the fabric of his turtleneck up and leans closer to the wall of the Godforsaken attic, the other's are still talking and babbling to each other. This is the fourth day he becomes a member of the Phantom Thieves. The others are still giving him the cold shoulders with the exception of Kurusu, Okumura, and Kitagawa. Kitagawa has been nice to him it's probably due to their certain relation to each other, the bluenette saw everything anyway, he had nothing to hide on a physical matter that is. Hell, he sometimes wakes up in a new set of clothes, he is grateful and shameful. The imperfections from his own actions were tarnishing both of his mind and body. The brunette knows he can't clean himself even if he rips his own skin and skinned himself alive. He cannot reverse time to make the right things. Choose the right choices. 

A sigh left his lips before looking at the group. Observing them, Nijima was idle chatting with Takamaki, Futaba and Okumura. He moves his gaze away from the girls when Okumura met his eyes and smile softly at him. Swallowing the guilt, Akechi shrinks from where he is standing and looks at Sakamoto and Morgana, the two are bantering on something he could've to care less, shifting his gaze to Kitagawa who is sitting nearby on the bed and actually meeting the gray eyes, pencil moving on the sketch paper's textured surface. Not leaving his eyes off of him. Akechi tilts his head to the side, eyeing the bluenette curiously. 

"What are you sketching?" he asks curiosity seeping through his tone. 

"You as a cactus or a hybrid cactus with your face." The bluenette replies casually still focused on the brunette's face. "A puffer fish, a porcupine, and a hedgehog with your face too," he added.

The detective knows what it means and subtly huffs indignantly, "I beg to differ, I don't think I'm prickly, Kitagawa- _kun_." he said emphasizing the honorific at the end, and the young artist hums in return, engrossing himself on his sketchpad. Well, even if he is prickly. Akechi will never admit that.

"But I won't mind getting prick by you if you admit that you're a prickly cactus, I guess," Yusuke said eventually and loud enough for everyone to hear while stopping on what he was doing and stare straight into the brunette's eyes. And everyone turned their heads towards them including Akira who was sitting in his usual spot, listening to every single one of them. The prince detective enjoys being under the populace's scrutiny but being under the Phantom Thieves' gaze and judgment is like he had drunk a liter of scalding hot bitter coffee, it burns his throat and mouth. It leaves a bitter taste, disgustingly bitter. 

And yet he enrobes his charming smile and says: "Very smooth  _Kitagawa-kun_  but Sleeping Beauty slept for a thousand years because she was pricked by a poison needle, you don't want to end up like that?"

"Apples are not always poisonous,  _Akechi-senpai_ ," Retorts Yusuke before going returning his full attention back to his sketch. Akechi is sure Joker's attitude is tainting him. The brunette looks at the group and waited for them to asks something. That exchange was something, after all, he also keeps in mind at how Akira's eyes on him. An intense gaze that he's been familiar with, hidden beneath his prescriptionless glasses. What ignited those?

Who ignited the faint fire of jealousy into those hidden steely eyes? How odd, is he that possessive to Kitagawa or to any members of the group, huh? Hm...  Can he use that against the other? Perhaps, he'll just need to figure how though.

"WAIT—SENPAI?!" Ryuji exclaims loudly. Noisy and obnoxious as ever. But Akechi hums, "I go to Kosei High, I'm a third year." he simply replies while he looks at the leader of the phantom thieves. "You never mention that when we talk..." The raven-haired said, sounding a bit disappointed? No, he shouldn't assume, Akechi carefully thought of a reply and casually shrugged. "Oh, my apologies but I think it wasn't an interesting topic than the Phantom Thieves of Hearts," he said.

The raven-haired stares at him, intensely. Yet didn't say anything. The detective turns his head away, away from those steely eyes that seem to read him through behind his plasticity covered visage. He remembers the look the younger teen gave earlier. The twinge of jealousy triggered by his and Kitagawa banter. The brunette wonders if that applies to all of the members? Or perhaps only to Kitagawa, there's also the possibility that he's reading to it too much since the raven-haired didn't strike him as possessive.

The gaze hadn't left him and he'll continue to act blind to it for the whole duration of Sae's Palace. No strings attached and just a bullet pierced through Akira Kurusu's skull... It'll be his win. Take that man to the depths of hell, revel in his despair. Exact his vengeance to the adult who abandoned him and his mother. He smiled absently as he gets lost in his own thought. A slender hand grabs his wrist and cuts him away from his own thought. He turns to the owner and stares. It was Yusuke, the bluenette stares back and firmly hold his wrist, the brunette looks around and the other's were going downstairs and Akira was looking at them again while waiting for them, back hunched and hands on his pockets. Glasses glaring bright due to the light so his steel gray eyes were hard to see.  

_What emotion did those eyes show right now?_ The ace detective briefly thought while turning his whole attention back to Yusuke. Flashing him his princely smile. "Sorry I spaced out. Are we going to Mementos or infiltrate Sae-san's Palace?" he asked, getting used to Kitagawa's hands on his wrist, the firmness of the young artist's grip feels nice for no eloquent reason. 

"No, they decided to eat some ramen." The bluenette replies, letting the detective go and looks at Akira who was clearly looking at their direction. His jaw was clenched. Yusuke tilts his head and wonders why he looks tense before glancing at Akechi again. "You should come, you're thin... And I don't think an apple for lunch will suffice for the whole afternoon."

The brunette shakes his head and gathers his briefcase. "No, I don't think I can come with you..." he quips but Yusuke gives him the look that fits a mother and the detective knows that the bluenette won't let him go. 

"Alright... I want kitsune udon." 

"Don't be ridiculous. It's a ramen shop." the bluenette retorts. Akechi sighs in defeat. "Shoyu then." satisfied by his choice, the passionate painter grabs his wrist again drags the brunette out of the attic, unable to see Akira's frown but it never escapes the brunette's keen eyes.

 

After two weeks of exploring Mementos with the ace detective, the raven-haired is awfully aware of how close Yusuke and Akechi is just by looking at how they interact with each other. It looks like they are closer than him and the sleuth can get. And that makes him a bit... Jealous. It is wrong though, the artist is just probably being nice to the brunette but his gut screams something is up.

Though now is not the right time he should be thinking about it, not when there's a shadow in front of them and Crow is on his stomach, unconscious. Akira sweats nervously and finishes the shadow off. He sees Fox, kneeling beside the fallen Crow and shoves a revival bead in the prince's mouth for the ninth time but this one, Crow stays on the floor. The bluenette thief removes one of his gloves and places the gloveless hand against the fallen prince cheek to check his temperature. The raven-haired leader moves his gaze away from them to look at the other members

"Is he dead?' Skull asked crouching on the other side of the brunette's body, inspecting the boy. The bluenette shakes his head and removes Crow's mask to let him breathe for the time being. "He's asleep, he's running a fever, again..." he replies as he hauls the other and carries him bridal style. "He never listens to me doesn't he?" Fox mutters. The blond boy ogles at them.

"Welp, if he continues to get hit and go down like that, he pretty much slows us down and our stash is getting light, y'know!" he exclaims looking at Joker. 

"He insisted that he's fine when he doesn't look good," Panther walks towards Fox, removing the red gloves she wears and places a hand on the sleeping brunette's forehead. Eyes getting wide after noticing that he's hot in a literal sense. "He's burning up!" she exclaims frantically.

The raven-haired shoves his hands into his pocket, "Let's go home for now." he suggested, even though they haven't been there for an hour. He heard a grumble of protest from Skull which earned a light elbow on the stomach from Panther. 

"Show some tact, Skull." She reprimands.

"Man, c'mon we haven't even warmed up in explorin' and yet we're goin' home. Can we just chug him inside the Mona car or something?" the blond suggested giving the raven-haired a kicked puppy look. Joker heaves a sigh and cast his eyes to the bluenette and the fever induced detective in his arms. The artist looks at him, opening his mouth and say.

"I can take him home, you can continue to explore without us," Fox proposed while staring at him. 

Oracle spoke this time. "Isn't that dangerous, Inari. You know, being alone with him," she said while she eyed the ace detective who was certainly asleep. "Plus, how long did you know him? Both of you looks so close together." she wryly asked.

"Yeah, I've been wonderin' about that too." The blond boy agrees. The leader of the Phantom Thief gazes at Fox who is eyeing Skull and Oracle. Queen steps forward now. "That's enough, Skull, Oracle," she said in a stern voice and looks at him, expecting a good answer from him. "It's your call Joker. What's your plan? We can't let Fox go alone with Akechi-kun, who knows what can he do with him even he is in a weakened state." she states. The raven-haired gets her point but it sounded frigid in his ear and he's not the only one who is irked by it as soon as he saw the bluenette hunches a bit and clenches his jaw. Perhaps to refrain himself from saying the things he didn't wish to say.

"We are going home and I'll come with Fox just to make sure he's safe," he orders. 

And with that, they all left the Mementos, The vulgar boy insists on coming with them but the raven-haired asks him to take Futaba and Ann home, the blond hesitantly agrees and take both girls safely home together with the others. 

 

"So..." Morgana begins, "Where does he live?" he asked while watching the bluenette adjust his hold on the sleeping prince, Akira shrugs his shoulders while tugging some of his bangs before glancing at Yusuke, he didn't know why but something tells him that he'll discover a thing or two about the soon-to-be traitor of their group. Not that the detective was given a choice to be something else. Playing the only role he knows how to play.

The lying bastard child. The sole role of Goro Akechi. 

"Please allow me to bring you to his abode since you are kind to accompany me on taking him home, you have my gratitude." The taller teen said while smiling at him and Morgana. The talking cat wrinkle his nose then, "How long have you two known each other?" he asks. The raven-haired scoffs as soon as he detected curiosity on the Dr. Seuss' talking cat.

"Curiosity kills the  _cat,_ Mona." the phantom thief teases

"FOR THE LAST TIME, I'M NOT A CAT!" 

The bluenette glances down to the sleeping brunette in his arms, pallid and chapped lips parted ever slightly. He thought that he better apply some chapstick on those parted lips once they get home. The artist looks up to the cat and human friends and watches Morgana try to claw Akira's face, he does trust them but if they were right that the fever induced boy in his arms will betray them. Should he forfeit the deal between him and this boy who screams in his sleep whenever he had a nightmare? Of course, he'd seen those nightmare plagued nights when he winded out too late for the dorm's curfew, the older teen lets him sleep on the spare futon in his room so it's understandable as to how he had caught the sight of it. The brunette would thrash on his own futon, screaming bloody murder and wakes up drench in sweat. Beads of sweat mix with tears, cascading down to the detective's cheeks. The artist feels like he's intruding something  _unsightly_  to the detective's dictionary that's why he lets him be, pretending to be in a deep state of slumber. Though he knows that the brunette knew that he was woken but still he lets him be.

Let's him face his own demons, letting the other teen move beside him and press his back against the artist's own back for something achingly close to comfort. Yusuke may never understand him but some things are meant not to be understood similar to human's desires and hope, both exist and yet no one understands why. Though both are similar in meaning.

Hopes and Desires... Both words have the same meaning yet one is perceived as selfish whilst the other was perceive as pure. The bluenette looks at the slumbering detective.  _What's your 'selfish and ugly' desire...? What is your 'beautiful and selfless' hope...?_ He thought, wondering if the hope is the same as the desire on Akechi's point of view.

"We should get going." Akira's voice snaps his thought from him, the bluenette looks at him but he's not entirely looking at him, those seemingly dark eyes are trained on the prince detective's face. The artist nods his head and adjusts his hold on Akechi, noticing that the latter lost a few weights or it's just him? 

"Yes, let's go and..." he looks at the cat and answers the question that was left hanging earlier. "He's my significant other, Morgana," he said with a straight face but he's just fooling with the cat, their deal is something he could tell but not in public. The raven-haired stares at him, eyes going wide then his glasses went glaring and hide his eyes while the black cat's mouth went agape. Akita's reaction though.. Yusuke didn't expect that he would react. It wasn't a glare he's sure it's not but when other perceives it, the look in those eyes is filled with... 

"Sorry, I think my humor is bad. We're just  _friends._ " Yusuke said before turning his back and away, the word 'friend' sounds foreign when it's acquainted with Akechi. The raven-haired sighs in relief and follows suit while Morgana shakes his head and dives back into Akira's bag. The two teenagers with the sleeping brunette ignored walks to the ticketing station to buy their ticket so that they can get on the train.

 

The train ride was relatively quiet, it's not packed with people so they arrived quickly to their destination and now walking near Yusuke's dorm but the taller walks further away, towards the three-story apartment building, a few blocks away from the bluenette's dorm. The cat in the phantom thief's bag pops his head out to look around while Akira follow's Yusuke with the unconscious Akechi in his arms. 

As the teenagers enter the building, the guard subtle sneers at them, muttering something incoherent.  

"He's always drunk, paid him no mind." the bluenette said walking to the elevator, then looks at the raven-haired who walks beside him. "Floor?"

"Second," replies Yusuke. The leader presses the button to the second floor and waits. A groan escapes from the brunette in Yusuke's arms. Rosewood eyes slowly opening to look at the bluenette and look around to deduce where he is. "You're awake, sleeping princess." the one who is carrying him said, piercing gray eyes burning holes on his face. The detective moves his gaze away and met an another piercing steel eyes and a pair of blue cat eyes. The detective prince gulps the lump in his throat and shudder, he caught a fever the other day. He never did get enough rest due to his  _jobs_ , thus his fever came back and if he remembers it correctly, they were exploring Mementos and when the shadows kept targeting him caused by his lethargic state. It's easy to ratiocinate that he fainted again and again until his body refuses to get up after being administered by that medicine the others use when one of them faints.

"I..." he croaked, his throat feels too dry. "I apologize for slowing you down..." he managed to say.

Akira tugs at his bangs it's a habit he does whenever he feels something the brunette could never know. Akira Kurusu is similar to a book that may look easy to read but actually, the book has deeper meanings that he may or may not understand and that leaves him in surprise. The raven-haired opens his mouth and say, "It's fine, you should take care of yourself, Akechi." the leader of the phantom thieves' voice went through the brunette's ear smoothly, deep and rich. He finds it comforting and attractive...? 

_Obviously, my mind is too muddled with this forsaken flu to the point that I found his voice attractive... Yes, I'm blaming my fever._ he mused to himself, ignoring the cackle emitting in the deepest part of his head. "...I will, thanks for your concern." He said and that sounds awfully fraudulent in his ears. 

"You should take it within your heart, Akechi," Yusuke stated sternly as he enters the opened elevator. 

The brunette chortled weakly. "I will. And you can put me down..." The bespectacled boy follows them inside, pressing the button again. Eyes trained upon the detective and artist. The bluenette stares before complying and putting the older brunette down but, supporting him by holding his shoulders when the detective struggled to stand up on his own. Akechi mutters a small thank you to Yusuke then turning his gaze to the raven-haired as though seizing his expression albeit Akira tore his eyes away from them.

The phantom thief shouldn't really feel this green feeling whenever Yusuke treats Akechi with somewhat care. And yet... He'll be lying to himself if he denies that feeling, then again, it's wrong for him to be jealous. There's nothing between him and Akechi other than the chaste kiss that the ace detective wish to forget as if it didn't happen. His love life in this timeline is worst than being a celibate in the first one. He should've dated Ann but she loves Shiho, how can he possibly date someone who loves someone else? He could date Haru but the bespectacled boy only sees her as a sweet friend whom he cares a lot. Then there's Futaba and Makoto... Futaba is pretty much like a sister to him. Makoto was personally his type but after knowing her, it never feels the same. 

_Is this identity crisis?_  He thought absently but he knows who he is and accepts it. Hell, the persona is the sign of it. 

"Kurusu is something matter...?" Akira looks at the owner of the voice, the brunette and the taller bluenette is already outside the elevator, waiting for him with Yusuke standing beside the detective... 

 

He wants Yusuke's place right now.


End file.
